Barracuda - The Tiger Of The Sea

At six feet in length the giant barracuda, with its huge mouth filled with sharp teeth, can present a quite frightening sight to a diver. Even a sports fisherman has little or no experience with the barracuda and can find themselves unsure of how to handle this formidable looking fish. Although all barracuda are not as large as the giant barracuda, every species tends to have the same fierce appearance. The body of this creature is long with a head almost one fifth as long as their trunk, tapered. It has a very wide mouth opening with numerous large, sharp, grasping teeth that almost look like fangs. With eighteen species, Barracudas are highly predatory fish.It is often seen in tropical and subtropical waters swimming in schools as it single-mindedly chases after its prey. In tropical regions the barracuda is highly feared by divers, not just because of its formidable appearance, but also because it is very unpredictable. Unlike the shark, the barracuda are not known to silently creep up on a victim since what they perceive in their under water world is not so much by smell, but more by sight. Any unusual movements or colors that might imitate those of an injured fish would be more apt to attract the attention of the Barracuda. Another difference in this fish and the shark is the way they attack. The shark will make repeated attacks on a victim but the barracuda makes a single attack and then swims away. Even so, once the barracuda has spied a diver it is not uncommon for them to continue following until the possible prey has left the water or disappeared from their line of sight.

One of the best known species of this fish is the Pacific barracuda. In most cases they are found off the coast of Mexico during the winter months, following their prey up the coast in the spring to begin their spawning season. The main diet of the Pacific barracuda consist of sardines but they are also known to eat anchovies, squid and the juveniles of grunion or mackerels. These predators have a voracious appetite, slashing through schools of fish they are pursuing as they move steadily toward their spawning areas. Spawning takes place between April and September with the females laying their eggs a few at a time. The eggs are left to float free in the sea until they hatch. Although the male barracuda will reach sexual maturity within the first three years after birth the female takes around four years to mature. The Pacific barracuda is often caught in the coastal waters of Mexico all year round but can only be found off the California coast during the warmer months. Although some of the smaller barracuda, such as the Pacific species, can be eaten and offer a rather firm but tasty dish, some of the larger barracudas have been known to be poisonous. Larger barracudas, unlike their smaller counterparts, do not swim in schools but instead prefer a more solitary life.

Ciguatera is a type of fish poisoning that is often found in the meat of the larger barracudas. This occurs when the barracuda have ingested certain algae eating fish that contain natural toxins that accumulate in the fishes body. Although this poison does not appear to affect the barracuda it is known to make any human who eats the barracuda quite ill. Symptoms of this type of poisoning after a human has ingested the affected barracuda might include occasional numbness in the hands or feet, headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle weakness, fever and in extreme cases even lowered blood pressure and heart palpitations. Some of the larger barracuda that might carry this poison include the giant barracuda, the Indo-Malaysian barracuda and the great barracuda. Reports show that some species of barracuda, such as the European barracuda, are known to attack humans both in the waters along the coast and on the beaches. Perhaps this is why this large predatory fish is more feared than sharks in some areas. Fishermen report that when the barracuda is hooked it will make giant leaps out of the sea in an attempt to get free. It is also reported that in many cases the fish is more successful than the fisherman. :boss: